Work and Family Conflict, Gender and Low Fertility in Brazil 2010

Helena Cruz Castanheira, University of Pennsylvania

This paper uses a multilevel logistic analysis to measure in what extent work and family conflict and gender relations at the municipality level are associated with the odds to have a child at the individual level in different parities, controlled by age and socio-economic characteristics. We analyze only married or cohabiting women (in an attempt to capture only intended fertility) from 15 to 49 years old. We observe that the work and family conflict variable affects negatively the first birth order, and positively the second and third in 2010 when Brazil had below replacement fertility. It has no effect in births of fourth order. In 2000 (above replacement fertility) it was not significant in any birth order. A relation was found between the work and family variable and labor contract type. The variable used to measure gender relations in the muncipality had no effect in fertility in 2000 and 2010.